The present invention generally relates to wristbands, and specifically to wristbands having an adhesive for securing the wristband in a loop.
Wristbands are commonly used as a means for identifying an individual. For example, wristbands can be used to identify individuals that are authorized to be in a certain location (e.g., at a concert or a park) or to consume certain food or beverages (e.g., at a party), such as alcoholic beverages. Wristbands are commonly of a certain color or imprinted pattern to facilitate visual identification at a distance.
Some wristbands include an adhesive layer on one end in order to facilitate closing the wristband in a loop around the user's wrist or ankle. During the manufacture of these wristbands, adhesive is applied to one end of the wristband, and a non-adhesive liner is placed over the adhesive in order to prevent the adhesive from sticking to something during shipment to the user. For example, such liners are commonly made from a sheet of material (e.g., paper or plastic) that is coated with a silicone layer that provides temporary adhesion to the adhesive. That is, the silicone layer will lightly adhere to the adhesive, but can be easily peeled from the adhesive layer when the user desires to use the wristband.
Upon removal of the liner, it is desirable to throw the liner into the trash. However, trash receptacles are not always readily available, and thus it is common for the user to either put the liner in a pocket or throw it on the ground, neither of which is desirable.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,457,906 discloses a wristband having adhesive for closing the wristband, and a liner that is permanently affixed to the adhesive. This is beneficial in that it keeps the liner attached to the wristband, which precludes the need to find an appropriate place to dispose of the liner. In use, the liner is peeled away from a portion of the adhesive and then bent backward to lie flat on the inside surface of the wristband.